Moving your email to Google Workspace while keeping your website with xneelo

1. 1
   Set up Google Workspace

Sign up for Google Workspace using your existing domain name and follow Google’s setup process.

Google will ask you to verify that you own the domain. This normally involves adding a TXT or CNAME record to your domain’s DNS.

Do not delete your existing email service or mailboxes yet.

Domain verification itself does not redirect your email. Email only starts routing to Google once the MX records are changed.

1. 2
   Create your email addresses in Google Workspace

Before changing where your email is delivered, create all the email accounts you require in Google Workspace, for example:

• info@yourdomain.co.za
• accounts@yourdomain.co.za
• name@yourdomain.co.za

Also recreate any aliases, groups or forwarding addresses you currently use.

1. 3
   Migrate your existing email

If you want to retain the email currently stored in your xneelo mailboxes, migrate it to Google Workspace before completing the final switch.

Google provides migration/import tools for moving existing email into Gmail.

Keep your existing xneelo mailboxes active while completing and checking the migration.

1. 4
   Change your domain’s MX records

Once your Google Workspace mailboxes are ready, your domain’s MX records need to be changed.
MX records tell other mail servers where email for your domain should be delivered.

Google currently instructs new Google Workspace customers to use:

MX | Priority 1 | smtp.google.com

The existing MX records for your previous email provider should be removed. Google notes that older Workspace configurations may use its legacy ASPMX records, so you should always use the MX records displayed in your Google Workspace setup.

If your DNS is hosted with xneelo, make these changes through your xneelo DNS management interface.

Important: Changing your MX records affects email only. Your website’s A, AAAA or CNAME records do not need to be changed, so your website can continue to be hosted by xneelo.

1. 5
   Configure email security records

Follow Google’s instructions to configure the appropriate:

• SPF
• DKIM
• DMARC

These records help other mail providers authenticate email sent through Google and reduce the likelihood of your messages being marked as spam. Google specifically recommends SPF and DKIM after setting up a domain.
Be careful when changing an existing SPF record. You generally shouldn’t simply create a second SPF TXT record if one already exists, it may need to be modified to reflect all services authorised to send email for your domain.

1. 6
   Activate Gmail and test

Complete the Activate Gmail process in the Google Workspace Admin console. Test that you can:

• Send an email from your new Gmail mailbox.
• Receive an email from an external address.
• Reply successfully.
• Send to each important address/alias on your domain.

DNS changes aren’t always immediate. Google advises that MX changes can take up to 72 hours to be recognised everywhere.

1. 7
   Only remove your old email service once everything is working

Once you’ve confirmed that Google is receiving your new email and that any historical email you require has been migrated, you can remove your old xneelo mailboxes/email service if appropriate.

Your website and other hosting services can remain with xneelo.